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A Change of Face:
Female Masks

Super Disguises!

Part Two

Go to Part One

Note: Click the thumbnails to see the art in full size. Some files are up to 250K

As we discussed last month, rubber or latex masks in the real world look like, well, rubber or latex masks. But in comic books, putting on a mask allows you to be disguised instantly, changing gender or even race without even your closest friends spotting the subterfuge. The next two months we’ll take a look at female masks in superhero comics.

Mata Harry

Female masks have been around almost as long as superheroes. Our first story is from Sensation #9 (September 1942) reprinted in Wonder Woman #217, (April 1975) and set against the background of World War II. It details a fairly convoluted plot involving Japanese spies, under the direction of Dr. Cue, kidnapping friends of Wonder Woman. To specify terms for release a female agent, Agent X, arrives. Wearing a green dress, high collar, and a veil, she meets with Wonder Woman. She explains their demands, and leaves. Later, after Wonder Woman escapes from the doctor’s laboratory, Agent X is seen again in aviator gear trying to escape by plane. Wonder Woman catches her and pulls off her mask to reveal that she is none other than the male Togo Ku, Japanese spymaster!

Wonder Woman #217 also reprints a scene from a Golden Age comic demonstrating the next best thing to a female full body mask. One of Wonder Woman’s archrivals, a demigod known as the Duke of Deception can inhabit phantasmal forms of humans to impersonate them. The scene shows the Duke holding the phantasmal form of Wonder Woman, then trying it on in the mirror. "Perfect! The girl’s best friend couldn’t tell us apart!" Although it’s more magic in nature, the idea is so similar to the body suits that show up in TG fiction that it’s worth including.

Our next example is a minor incident in Blackhawk #210 (July 1965). The Blackhawks were a group of pilots and freedom fighters who fought the Nazis in World War II and continued their efforts after the war. In this particular story, the Blackhawks have been invited to Paris to receive an award and for some R&R. Andre, the Frenchman, is excited about returning to Paris. One of the reasons becomes obvious as he reacts to the approach of a young Mademoiselle. We see her excellent figure from the back and from the side as he makes his move. "Could we not stroll along together through life … hand in hand?" Finally we see her face. Actually we see the undercover policeman raising his female mask and saying, "If you please, m’seiu, perhaps some other time! Right now, I am trailing a suspect and don’t want to lose him!" It’s a gag and has nothing to do with the rest of the comic, but it’s cute.

Gee, Lois, How Was I Supposed To Know?

Next, we have a couple of masking situations from Superman’s Girlfriend, Lois Lane in which women wear the female masks this time. These are each rather silly in their own way, and interestingly enough, they both involve Wonder Woman. The first is from a brief period of time in the ’60’s when Wonder Woman lost her powers and became an ordinary person, Diana Prince. In Lois Lane #93 (July 1969) Diana Prince makes a play for Superman, and Lois isn’t too happy about it. Furthermore, Diana regains her powers so that she is a more perfect match for Superman than Lois could ever be. However, Lois is suspicious and finds the real Diana Prince imprisoned. Of course at that moment the imposter arrives and unmasks to reveal that she is a Kryptonian villain in disguise. No wonder she had all those powers!

Why is this silly? Because she’s been hanging around Superman. You know. The guy with all the superpowers including super senses? I might be able to accept that he was unable to detect that this person was not only a different person, but from a different planet. But he couldn’t recognize that she was wearing a mask, even when they kissed? I suppose it’s only fair for Superman to be a little dense once in a while since it took decades for Lois to recognize Superman behind Clark’s glasses.

The second one is from Lois Lane #136 and this time Superman and Wonder Woman announce their engagement, much to Lois’ dismay. This time, however, it’s a plot to uncover a villain obsessed with Superman. Since she has made threats to kill Superman’s girlfriend, Superman and Wonder Woman decide to pretend to be in love so the villain will come after her instead of Lois. Sure enough, the villain gives Wonder Woman a poisoned necklace while disguised as Lois herself! Most of the book we only see the villain wearing a hood. So it should be no surprise that when she pulls off her Lois mask we see that she’s wearing a hood underneath! Silly? You betcha!

But Mom, Everybody’s Doing It!

Perhaps the silliest example of using masks shows up in Adventure #349 (October 1966) in an adventure of the Legion of Superheroes. In the ’50’s and ’60’s, rubber masks showed up all over the DC Universe, and in this case, they just got carried away. Universo thinks he has killed five heroes and prepares to hypnotize the leaders of the United Planets. Shock of shocks! He didn’t kill the heroes after all, and they are impersonating the UP leaders using masks. What’s so silly you ask? Well, each of the heroes has a special power. And the orange fellow with the antennae is Chameleon Boy, a shapechanger. The artist was so used to sticking masks in everywhere, he gave one to the shapechanger as well!

Next time we’ll finish our look at female masks in more recent comics including Captain America, Daredevil, and Black Orchid.

Till next time, remember, all copyrights belong to the original publishers, but any comments or requests, please send to me at BrittTV@aol.com.

 

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